We know as believers in Christ that...?

Question

...when Christ died on the Cross He dealt with Sin, Satan, the Flesh, the Old creation.. and the list goes on.

I want to focus on this matter of the flesh. Even though it has been terminated by Christ's all inclusive death, day by day as believers we still have to deal with the flesh.
One brother said something. He said that as believers, each time we in our flesh, it means that we are not in spirit. Those two are the choices to each believer daily. We are either according to the flesh or the spirit. No inbetween.
But he went on to share that when we are in the flesh, loosing our temper, lusting, lying,etc, it shows us where we are and in a way, being there is so full of " death" that it has a way of forcing us to turn to our spirit.
Romans 8:6 shares
For the mind set on the flesh is death but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace.
How do you see this matter of the flesh and its function to make us more desperate to turn to our spirit and live from there instead.
ty

Hello there Brother Jed:)
This is a very practical question to us as christians. THe flesh is real and also the Lord in our spirit is real. Our spirit picks up the sense of death in our flesh. Our spirit has this ability. The Lord in us works to bring us out of the realm of the flesh when as believers we are in the flesh. The flesh profits nothing and when we are living in the flesh the sense of death and loosing the Lord's presence is so real. The Lord as the Shepherd in our spirit works to shepherd our wandering mind that is set on the flesh time and time again. I know that when i loose my temper i realize how truly wretched I am and how desperately I need to take the Lord's blood and not remain far way from Him but to draw near and restore my fellowship in spirit with Him. The flesh is that " place full of death" that, when i touch it and life from it, makes me hate being there and more desperate to turn to the Lord.
This is the context of what i was sharing dear brother Jed

not " life" but " live". typo

Answer 1

Yes. JEsus died for all of our sins, even tho many will not accept Him and will be lost. Thats all choice.
But, we are no longer of the old fallen sin nature, once we are born again. Jesus died that we may life and not die the spiritual death. He gave us everlasting life in Him, and also becasue of His shed blood on the cross, He also gave us a way out, to have victory over all sin. WE are now a new creation, once born again, with the new nature, the nature of Christ, with His mind and excellent character. We arent still little worhtless ppl trying to stop sinning and still trying to count on grace to cover us, while we plead, beg for mercy and grace. ON NO> God said He made us more than conquerors over sin, WE are now of a new cration, to be overcomers, by the power of Jesus shed blood and the power of the Holy SPirit to lead, guide and empower us as overcomers by tapping into His spirit. This is because of Jesus. WIthout Jesus, there would be no life. WIthout Jesus, we would not have the Holy SPirit. When we are born again, we die to our flesh daily. WE bury that old flesh, that old sin nature, and submit it to God as we receive our new nature, to be like Jesus Christ. and by the power of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, we are able to overcome anything the devil hands to us to destroy and devour and take us to the same ruin he is headed for. WE can have blessed assurance of salvation if we love , trust and obey God, as Jesus obeyed the Father unto perfection. We are commanded to obey, it is required.
WE no longer live and operate in the old flesh mode where sin is allowed to come in and just eat at us. Absolutely not, not once really truly born again. WE will know by their fruits, actions if one is born again Tho we arent to judge the person, we can judge the sin. When ppl are operating in sin and the flesh and counting on grace, they are NOT born again. Thats someone hoping to be born again. THis is all a choice, just as believing is. WHen you choose for Jesus, you choose to obey or not obey, and only thru obedience will you be saved and have an abundant life right here and now. Salvation is only thru the blood of Christ, but holding on to that free gift has requirement. Just as we renounce sin when we go to Him for the first time, we must remain turned from sin. When we choose to live that way and live only for Christ, saying no to sin isnt even difficult. Because sin becomes as vile to us as it does to God.
Thru obedience and a renewed mind, The Spirit will change us from the inside out and our desires will be the same as Gods desires. We live in the natural realm, but we arent to operate in that realm. WE are to receive from the Spirit, supernaturally. His Spirit reaching our Spirit , Then we take this to the natural mind and let them work together to glorify God in all things.
Saying no to sin and Yes to Jesus, and for the right motives, because of Love, we will be changed, and we will be as God calls us to be. HE calls us to purity, holness and righteous living. Grace is for past sins, and things we dont yet know are sins. When asked if we are to continue in sin and count on grace, what was the answer?? GOD FORBID was the answer. Grace is for the knowledge and empowerment over sin, thru the blood of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit that was given to us to make us victorious over all things as we live for God, thru Jesus Christ.
Great question. Hope it makes ppl think. God bless you.

Answer 2

Paul said that I would I do not and that I would not I do.
We will always have to deal with the flesh, there is no getting around that. I think that as Christ was perfect, and we being in Him should try to become like him. We should think of it like this. As a young man once said at the beginning of his Christian walk he said Lord more me, as he became more mature in Christ, he said Lord less of me and more of you, and he became an old man, he said Lord All of you and none of me. Shouldn't we strive to achieve that. I know it is impossible because if the Sainted Apostle Paul couldn't do it, I don't stand a chance.
Maybe proclaiming him on such an open site as this will help the world see that we are just sinners saved by Grace, that we are afflicted with the same things as they, the only difference is that He Mercifully saved us and gave us hope in Him.

Answer 3

the RUACH HAKODESH helps to overcome the problem
of the flesh ; in which we are dead indeed. to get past the
lust of the flesh means that we work on letting the SPIRIT
inward. the less we become a "me" the more the SPIRIT
can use us for spiritual warfare. we must be willing to let
go of this world's false promises to those of eternity. for
if we see with the flesh, flesh is all we will see. so we must
strive for the spiritual. to even greater glory.
Thanks again Sandy!

Answer 4

Rom 8:8 And they who are in the flesh cannot please Yahweh.
Rom 8:9 But you are not in the flesh, but the spirit, if so be that the Spirit of Yahweh dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Messiah, he is none of his.

ENOUGH would be said if it wasn't for that ANTI-MESSIAH, that ANTI-ANOINTING, ideology of the PAGAN VIRGIN BIRTH. YOU SEE, many deny Yahshua the Messiah came in the VERY SAME FLESH, BLOOD and NATURE of Abraham's seed line, as HEB. 2:14-16 teaches. They promote a FALSE MESSIAH of Babylon that was born of a physical virgin birth, rather than understanding the TRUE MESSIAH was BORN OF THE VIRGIN SPIRIT OF YAHWEH at his baptism. This was the SIGN John was looking for too. Not some story out of Babylons lies. NOW, how many are of Anti-messiah??
2Jo 1:7 For many seducers are gone out into the world who confess not that Yahshua Messiah is come in the flesh. This is a seducer and an antimessiah.
Heb 2:14 Therefore because the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner hath been partaker of the same: that, through death, he might destroy him who had the empire of death, that is to say, the devil:
Heb 2:15 And might deliver them, who through the fear of death were all their lifetime subject to servitude.
Heb 2:16 For nowhere doth he take hold of the angels: but of the seed of Abraham he taketh hold.

Lots of 'strong delusion' out there in religion land.

Answer 5

This is an area that many Christians overlook...at least here in my area and my experiences. Here's my view for what it's worth:

When we are in the flesh - we are dealing with earthly issues in an earthly way - anger, hate, intolerance, judgment, greed...the list goes on an on.

When we are in the spirit- we are dealing with earthly issues in a spiritual way - love, compassion, understanding, etc.

The difference between the two is the same as the difference between heaven and hell. For example, If you continue dealing with the events in your life in an earthly way, can you find peace with being constantly filled with anger and pain? Resentment and greed? Feeling like "life's not fair" and hating everything around you?

If you practice living your life with compassion and without judgment (of others OR yourself) you will find that your life is full of inner peace which is heavenly.

An simple example: I got an email from my ex last night that was berating me, accusatory, hateful, and dripping with anger and animosity. At the point when I read it, I have 2 choices - I can retaliate with the same - anger, bitterness, animosity etc. If I choose this, then (a) he has power over me and (b) I'm continuing to feed "the flesh" right? My second choice is to embrace the email as an example of his frustration. I can mentally acknowledge where he is and accept him as he is. After doing that, I re-read the email from a peaceful place, not attaching to the angery words he used to cause me pain, and decided that there was no question or concern as related to the boys, and that there was nothing to answer, so I choose not to respond. That is living in the spirit. Needless to say, by choosing option 2, I enjoyed the rest of my night feeling uplifted and peaceful instead of stewing over the "drama" he tried to create...

Does that make sense? Granted this is only one issue, but the reality is that we are faced with opportunities to live from spirit every day. Some are easy to make the right choice, like the one I gave...others are harder. Are we doing things because we feel obligated to? Do we feel boxed in when we make decisions? This is from the flesh. Are we at peace with our decisions? When we listen to the still small voice, is it in agreement with our choices? That is in the spirit.

That's not to say that we don't all have obligations - we (most of us anyway) have to go to work, have to take care of someone else (kids, elderly parents,etc) but it is how we face those obligations that counts - are you angry & resentful or are you facing these obligations with love and acceptance?

When we live in the flesh, we yearn to live in the spirit - to be overcome with internal peace and true joy - even if that's not what we call it or even know what we are looking for.

When we live in the spirit, we know what it's like and yearn to stay there.

Answer 6

Consider also what is written in 1 Peter 4:1-11

1Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. 2As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 3For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. 5But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.

7The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. 8Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 11If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Answer 7

Sounds rather gnostic to me. In gnosticism all flesh was viewed as evil.

I believe we are beings of flesh and spirit.

The desires of the flesh are very real and cannot be neglected. There are things that are needed for our very survival that are 'fleshly' desires. They were God given desires for a reason.

It is when you go beyond the need and into overindulgence that you sin.

You need to maintain healthy 'flesh' as well as spirit.

They were in intended to live in harmony with each other.

We all have a desire to eat, to live, to succeed, to "multiply", to feel, to taste, to smell, to see, etc. These things are intrinsic to our nature.

When we go beyond then we lie, steal, fornicate, etc.

Being in the spirit is simply living within the normal means of the flesh. You feed your spirit by living a moral life but that also creates a healthy "fleshly" life. You cannot separate the two.

Answer 8

Remember when you walked in the flesh? How did you feel when you lost your temper?
Now you are walking in the Spirit, but remember, your an earthen vessel.Now when you lose tour temper, How do you feel?

Answer 9

Amen sister....

I immediately think of Paul in Romans chapter 7.......and how he referred to himself as a wretched man.

If the apostle Paul struggled with sin......then I know that I am not alone in this fight.

Christ has won the victory at Calvary with His resurrection!

Answer 10

Perhaps I am incorrect, but I do not think any temptation ever made someone want to turn towards the Spirit.